American journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested for alleged espionage, must remain in Russian custody for the time being. A court in Moscow has rejected a complaint against the detention of the Wall Street Journal reporter, the American newspaper reported on Tuesday (local time). This means that Gershkovich will remain behind bars until at least June 30.
“It remains outrageous that Evan has been wrongfully detained by the Russian government for more than a year,” the WSJ wrote. So far, no evidence has been produced against Gershkovich. The release of the 32-year-old is “long overdue”.
Photos showed Gershkovich in a glass box during Tuesday’s hearing, wearing jeans and a plaid shirt. He smiled and spoke to his lawyers, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Arrested during a reporting trip
The Russian correspondent for the ‘Wall Street Journal’ was arrested at the end of March 2023 during a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg. According to the newspaper, he is being held in Lefortovo prison in Moscow. The Public Prosecution Service accuses him of collecting state secrets about the activities of a Russian defense company ‘at the direction of the American side’.
Putin interested in prisoner swap
Gershkovich and his employer deny the espionage allegations. The US government said Gershkovich was wrongfully detained. Recently, Russian leader Vladimir Putin publicly indicated that he was willing to trade Gershkovich for Russians imprisoned in the West.
Source: Krone
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